


A Serene Dawn

by AgeOfTonyJunior



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Minor Injuries, Motorcycles, Rating: T, Reference to AA, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, a weird deer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:41:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25383985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgeOfTonyJunior/pseuds/AgeOfTonyJunior
Summary: Clint enjoys riding his bike on long open roads. He's good at it too. The weather is just right and it's a good time of the day. What he doesn't account for is the deer who decided to cross the road in front of him. He's hurt and calls the team for help. Steve responds.They spend three months getting to know each other and it leads to a revelation of sorts on Steve's behalf.
Relationships: Clint Barton & Tony Stark, Clint Barton/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 43





	A Serene Dawn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hi_Im_Lou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hi_Im_Lou/gifts).



> Written as a birthday present for the bestest friend I know. Happy Birthday Cece!

The day is perfect; the late autumn breeze cool against what little of his skin is exposed as he zooms down the empty stretch of road close to twilight. He’s so far away from New York now and everything is just right. His bike is behaving as it should, the leather jacket against his back is not too warm, his hands feel cool against the steering frame. He considers taking off his helmet and enjoying the cool sunset air against his face and whipping his hair, but thinks better of it. He’s not Captain America, he would be seriously injured if something went wrong and he lost control of his bike and landed on his head. But really, he should be fined for riding a motorcycle without a helmet, but rules tend to be guidelines when it comes to America’s golden boy.

Clint’s not bitter or envious, far from it. He’s glad to be able to call Steve Rogers his teammate and friend, but honestly, how is that even allowed?

He’s coming up on a fork in the road and he knows he has to take the left lane in order to bypass the small town. He’s prepared to change lanes when he spots movement to his right on the shoulder of the road and a deer madly dashes in front of his bike. He swerves just in time to avoid hitting the creature but now he’s heading the wrong way down the road. 

He hits the brakes and attempts to right his direction when the front tire of his bike catches on an overgrown weed in the divide of the road and he loses control.

He’s spinning in the air and his bike is no longer under him and he hears the crash.

His head spins and his ears ring and he’s mildly aware of the sound of the deer as it bellows from a long way down the road. 

He’s not aware how long he lays where he landed heavily on the warm concrete. When he moves to sit up, a sharp pain jolts from the tips of his toes up his leg to his knee. He shifts his weight, putting most of it on his elbows and sits up. He looks down to see the damage to his right leg and immediately recognizes the fracture to his ankle.

He grunts, using both hands to lift his right leg so it’s lined up with his left and takes off his helmet. Good thing he was smart enough not to take it off. He sets it down on the road beside him and follows the trail of wreckage to where his bike laid on its side, the body dented all over and one of the tires leaking air slowly. 

Well this is just great. It’s sunset, he’s in the middle of nowhere, his mode of transportation ruined, and his ankle is broken. So much for perfect.

At least his bag was still on his shoulders. He removes it from his back and opens the zipper, looking inside for his phone and hesitates. Who is going to call? He’s thousands of miles away from New York and even a Stark designed jet will take some time to reach him. But this is his best option; not to mention, the smartest option. He can always try hobbling over to the small town he meant to bypass earlier when the deer had other plans, but even Clint isn’t that reckless.

Instead he sighs and dials the Avengers non-super-life-threatening-emergency line. The line rings once before a familiar calm voice greets him. 

“Avengers Compound, Captain Rogers speaking.”

Clint half expected it to be Stark to answer him. He’s glad it’s Cap. 

“Hey Cap. Clint here.” He introduces.

He hears the smile in the Captain’s voice. “Hello Clint. How are you? What’s the non super life threatening emergency?”

Clint laughs. It was Stark’s idea to name the phone line that. It’s completely ridiculous. “I’m all right.” He lies. “Just having a bit of bike troubles out here. I was wondering if I can get a lift if the team can spare someone.”

He hears the Captain’s hum as he undoubtedly pictures a bike that’s not running. That’s not far from the truth. “It’s just me right now. Team’s in the field, nothing out of the normal. Just the regular delusional, class D Thursday night evil doer.”

“Oh.” Clint’s face falls. The whole team being on mission meant that he would be waiting for some time. Probably until late night if not tomorrow. There was no way that Cap was going to make the flight to him personally. 

“It’s not a big threat. Team should be able to contain it quickly.” Cap’s voice sounds garbled, and Clint hopes that he doesn’t lose tower service. 

He shakes his head. “It’s no problem Cap. I can wait. Just wanted to get the message across.”

Some static on the line. “You won’t be waiting for long. I’m on my way. What’s your location?”

Clint is mortified. Did he hear that correctly? Was Captain America offering to be the one to fly over to him and pick his sorry damsel in distress self up? Maybe his ankle is not the only injury he sustained. 

“ _You’re_ flying over?” He asks dumbly, because he has to make sure he didn’t in fact imagine hearing that.

Cap’s voice is as certain as ever. “Yes. What’s your location?” He repeats himself.

“Uh.. I’ll send FRIDAY the coordinates.” He supplies as he switches his phone to speaker mode and accesses the GPS tracking app Stark designed specifically for this purpose and pings his location to FRIDAY. 

A moment passes and he hears Cap’s intake of a breath, mostly covered in static. “Location received. FRIDAY estimates ETA to be in three hours.”

He switches the speaker mode off and holds the phone back to his ear. “That’s all right Cap. Thanks so much for doing this.” A shiver runs through him as the breeze suddenly picks up. Down the road, the deer bellows again, loudly.

“Don’t be silly Clint. No need to thank me.” He chuckles and Clint can’t help but to smile. 

“I do have one question though.”

“Sure thing Cap, what is it?” Clint asks, sharp eyes tracking the deer as it hoofs the concrete on the shoulder of the road.

“Did I just hear a deer?” Cap sounds genuinely confused. It’s adorable. 

Clint shakes his head. He definitely did not just think that. “Yeah.” He answers, now staring at the noisy deer. “You did. There’s one hanging on the shoulder of the road here.”

“Well, best leave the creature alone. Do not engage.” Cap laughs at his own joke. 

Clint does too. “Copy that Cap.”

“Be there soon. Try to stay warm.” 

Ever the mother hen, Clint thinks. “Will do.” He hangs up after he makes sure that Cap is no longer on the line. 

He had three hours to wait and the sun had already set. Cap’s reminder to keep warm wasn’t that irrational. He was very exposed to the elements out here on this open stretch of road with nothing except that deer who didn’t seem to want to move. Clint glares at it. “Thanks for wrecking my bike.” The deer grunts at him.

* * *

Clint is half conscious, half asleep with his head resting on his bag when he hears the jet landing on the open road. He scans the surroundings now illuminated from the light of the jet for the stubborn deer and realizes that it’s finally moved on. What an odd deer. 

He sits upright and winces as the pain shoots up his leg, his hands reach down to support it as he maneuvers himself into a sitting position. 

A minute passes and then the door of the jet is opening and Cap, all donned up in his suit descends down the steps. Clint can see that he’s smiling and he returns the smile. It comes easily to him. Who can look at Captain America smiling and not automatically smile back? That smile is practically infectious. 

“Hey.” He waves. 

“Hey yourself.” Cap says as he reaches him. He crouches down beside Clint. “So where’s the girl and why is she giving you trouble?”

Clint grimaces suddenly at the fate of his faithful bike. He nods towards the other side of the road where it lay in a heap of metal. 

As soon as the Captain’s eyes land on the wreckage of the bike, he turns them back to Clint in horror. “Clint, what happened?”

He shrugs. “Damn deer.”

“You hit it?” His voice hitches high. Clint is pretty sure.

He shakes his head. “I swerved and missed it but when I tried to get back on the road, I ran over some overgrown weeds and the bike flipped.” 

Steve nods like he knows exactly what Clint is talking about, which he probably very well did given his enthusiasm about bikes. “Are you hurt?” He asks as his eyes rake over Clint, inspecting him for major injuries.

Clint doesn’t answer. He’s going home anyway, he can swing by the medbay when he gets there and get his ankle looked at. Cap doesn’t need to know. He already bothered him enough by making him fly to the rescue. 

Cap’s eyes are still searching Clint who was finding the attention to be too much. “Had my helmet on.” He tells half of the truth as a way to satiate him.

He nods. “Good. I’ll get your bike on the jet.” He says and stands up, crosses the road to where the bike lay and picks it up easily, carrying it on board the jet. Clint simply watches, in awe of the sheer power that radiates from Cap’s body as he so effortlessly manages the task. He catches himself and looks away, a blush so faint tinting his cheeks.

Once Steve has the bike secured on the jet with the straps meant for a functional bike, he steps down once again and goes over to Clint. “Are you ready?”

Clint nods and miraculously manages to stand up without falling over. He’d strapped his helmet to his bag to make things easier to carry but it also helped that it meant he had both arms to balance himself. He stumbles a little as the weight of his bag on his back tips him over but he doesn’t fall. 

Cap is by his side, arms hovering over his waist in a heartbeat. “Hey..” He looks him over once again and finally finds the injury he’d been looking for. “Your ankle. Clint, why didn’t you say anything?” 

Clint simply shrugs. “Going home anyway. No reason to worry you.” 

Steve is disappointed and he lets it show plain and clear on his face. “You should’ve said something.”

“It’s all right, Cap. I’ll be fine.” He punctuates his words by standing up straighter and carrying most of his weight on his uninjured leg. He starts off towards the jet with Steve beside him, his hands outstretched and bracketing him in case he were to fall. Clint couldn’t help feeling small at the act, but also so very secure knowing that Cap would catch him if he fell. 

They make it onto the jet and into an empty seat, Steve insisting that Clint will definitely not be sitting in the co-pilot seat before he gets in his seat and revs the jet’s engine, taking it to the sky. 

Clint falls asleep very shortly after they take off, conveniently so as Steve calls Tony and tells him what happened. He describes Clint’s injury and asks Tony to get the medbay ready, which he agrees to do immediately. He’s glad the team was back from their mission. 

Steve lands the jet on compound grounds less than three hours later. Clint is still fast asleep and he debates picking him and carrying him over to the medbay. It’s better for his leg anyway if he doesn’t put weight on it. He doesn’t have to decide whether to go through with the crazy thought or wake him up when Tony boards the jet and very loudly calls for Clint. 

“Hawkbird! Rise and shine buddy. You got a date with a doctor.” 

Clint jolts up from his sleep and grabs for the nearest thing he can find and tosses it in the general direction of Tony’s voice. It turned out to be a water bottle and it hit its mark perfectly.

“Ouch!” Tony yelps as the object hits his back. “Damn you Hawkbird! This is what I get for trying to help you?”

Clint stretches his arms and sits more upright. “Waking up to your shrill voice is very unwanted Stark thanks very much.”

Cap laughs and Clint counts it as a victory even before Stark has a chance to make some sort of witty comeback. 

“Let’s get you to the medbay.” Steve says, approaching him. Clint nods and attempts to stand up but wobbles and falls back in the chair. 

Steve offers his hand and Clint takes it and manages to not stumble this time. “Thanks Cap.”

Steve nods at him and matches his speed to Clint’s as they descend from the jet. Tony is long gone and waiting for them by the entrance to the medbay. By the time they make it there, he’s also long gone from there. Clint never would’ve assumed Stark to be anything but impatient. 

He is waiting inside the medbay with the doctor when Steve and Clint arrive. Clint’s never seen this doctor before. He’s not worried, he’s just not in the mood for pleasantries. 

Cap helps him sit down on one of the medbay stretchers and steps back as the doctor nears him. Cap and Stark then step further back as the doctor begins to examine his leg.

An hour later and Clint has already decided that he hates this new doctor. He has to wear the cast for three months. Three months! Of course it’s not the doctor’s fault; he’s just doing his job, but Clint is not thrilled, not one bit. 

At some point between the doctor’s exam and x-rays and getting the cast put on, Cap and Stark had left the medbay and he was now alone except for the nurse on duty. The doctor had to give him some pain medication as he set his ankle before casting it and he was starting to feel its effects. He dozed off watching the nurse pace back and forth. 

* * *

A knock on the glass of the workshop prompts FRIDAY to turn down his music. Tony looks up from his workbench and sees Steve. He smiles and motions him in and on cue, FRIDAY opens the door for him.

Steve didn't come in immediately and what Tony didn’t notice was the scrap of metal that counted for Hawkbird’s bike that was delaying Steve in coming in as he hefted it off the floor and into the workshop.

“No.” He says, all absolute finality when he realizes what Steve is doing. “Absolutely not.”

Steve rests the bike against a sturdy looking metal cabinet in the far end of the workshop and approaches Tony. “I didn’t even say anything.”

Tony points to the scrap metal. “You didn’t have to.” He wipes his hands on a rag and takes a seat on a stool. “Just what do you expect me to do with that thing other than incinerate it?”

Steve grimaces and does his Captain America disappointed crossing of his arms. “Come on Tony. It’s not even that bad. And if anyone can fix it, it’s you.”

“I know that. But why?” Tony looked over at the ruined bike already cataloguing the damage in his head and how he’d proceed about fixing it. 

Steve notices Tony looking at the bike and smiles small. “Because Clint’s your teammate.”

Tony shakes his head, scrunching his eyebrows. “Uh uh. That’s not gonna cut it Cap. You’re gonna have to do better than Hawkbird is my teammate. Besides, I can just buy him a new bike. It’s easier for all parties involved.”

Steve uncrosses his arms and finds another stool to sit down on next to Tony. “He wouldn’t want a new bike, Tony. Trust me.”

Tony sighs and glances towards the bike again. “The body is in ruins and I’m guessing from the damage the body sustained that the engine needs work too. A lot of work.”

“So you’ll do it?” Steve asks, a huge grin on his face.

“I didn’t say that.” Tony disagrees, trying to make it sound rough but his lips are curling up into a smile. 

“It sounded a lot like you did.” 

“Did. Not.” Tony punctuates each word even as he grabs a wrench and stands up. 

“Thank you Tony!” Steve is all barely contained excitement as he watches Tony saunter so slowly over to where he set the bike.

“Yeah, yeah.” He waves him with a hand without even looking back, mind already focused on the new task at hand.

* * *

The next day, Steve visits Clint in the medbay. He brings one of Clint’s books with him as well as a box of chocolates and a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Clint is already awake when the nurse lets Steve in. 

He greets Steve with a stunning smile even though his hair is sleep ruffled and he’s wearing one of the medbay’s patient gowns. Steve beams back in return and takes a seat in the comfy chair beside Clint’s bed. In a Tony Stark facility, even visitor chairs are of the best quality.

He sets his gifts down at the foot of the bed, smiling as Clint takes in the contents. 

“You brought me gifts?” Clint asks, unbelieving. 

Steve nods. “Of course. Though I wouldn’t call them gifts. It’s just one of your books, coffee, and chocolate.” 

“Still, that’s so nice Cap. Thanks.” Clint says sincerely as he reaches for the cup of coffee. 

“You’re welcome.” 

They sit in comfortable silence for a while, Clint sipping his coffee and Steve reading the news on his tablet. The nurse, a different nurse from last night, brings Clint his breakfast. His stomach immediately growls and he only just realizes that he went to bed without any dinner the night before. 

He thanks her and before she’s even gone, he’s already eating hungrily. Steve watches fondly and sets the tablet aside. He doesn’t want to upset Clint but he surely must’ve guessed what Steve had to tell him. He waits until Clint is no longer eating so quickly before he speaks up. 

“The doctor said that you’ll have the cast for three months.” He begins, hoping that this introduction will ease Clint into the news he has to deliver.

Clint nods, carrying a forkful of eggs into his mouth. “Yep.” He articulates once he swallows his food. “I hate him.”

Steve smiles. Clint could be so childish sometimes. He found it endearing. But maybe he shouldn’t. He can argue with himself about that later. “I saw your x-rays. Spiralled the end of the fibula clean off.” 

Clint shrugs. “Had worse. Just never as inconvenient as this. How am I supposed to go on missions for three months?”

Oh, okay. So Clint is leading for him. He can work with that. “About that. Clint I’m sorry but you can’t.”

Clint takes a drink of his coffee and whether he was deliberately taking a long drink to avoid replying to Steve, he didn’t know. Finally, he does answer. “I know Cap. It’s practically written on your face.”

“Oh..” Steve averts his gaze.

“Like a little boy who did something bad and just can’t help but be guilty.” Clint laughs and tosses an individually wrapped mint chocolate at Steve. 

Steve catches it and turns it around between his fingers. “You’re such an asset to the team Clint. We’d be lost without you. But we can’t have you put yourself in further risk by not being at one hundred percent.” 

Clint shakes his head. “You don’t have to explain. I’m not happy about being benched, but I get it.”

Steve eventually looks back at Clint’s face. What he finds there is genuine understanding and absolutely no resentment. He’s glad and wills his lips into a smile. “Thank you Clint.”

“Of course, Cap.” 

Steve stands up to leave Clint to the rest of his day in the medbay, he still has a few more hours under the doctor’s watch, when Clint stops him. “Hey Cap?”

Steve turns back around to see Clint shaking his empty coffee cup. “Got any more of this? It was delicious.”

Steve chuckles. “I’ll get you some more.”

* * *

The first month after Clint’s release from the medbay is very difficult for him. Steve notices how he’s very edgy everytime the team goes out on a mission and incredibly more so when they return. He notices how he’s a poorer sport when he loses video game matches to Thor or Bruce. He notices how Clint doesn’t seem to do much of anything during his day aside from read through his many books, play his video games and eat regular meals along with an unhealthy number of snacks. The snacks were always a thing for Clint so Steve’s just exaggerating that much. 

Clint practically moves his bedroom downstairs to the main common area. At first everyone thinks it’s because he doesn’t want to take the stairs with his new cast but as the days go on and he starts walking a bit more, it becomes very confusing and Steve doesn’t know what to think. 

He thinks it may be an effort on Clint’s behalf to stay close to the team since he couldn’t be with them on the missions. He finds it so bittersweet that Clint feels left out but trying in his own way to stay close to the team. Steve makes a promise to himself to spend as much of his free time with Clint as he can. 

He starts by going to the bookshop and buying more books for Clint to read when the team’s out. Then he asks Thor and Bruce’s advice on the kind of video games he likes and buys a few of those to play with him. He also makes a list of movies he thinks Clint would like to watch with him. 

Steve begins joining Clint in his makeshift camp in the common area for video game matches and late night pizza while watching a movie. He soon manages to coax Clint back up to his bedroom by promising to keep their new activities a routine. 

The second month of Clint’s mandatory compound stay passes by a lot smoother for him. His daily routine returns to normal with a few variances but he’s no longer grumpy when the team goes out and spends less time moping about losing to Thor or Bruce. He never loses to Steve because Steve’s never played video games before now. He’s happy to see Clint win. 

Movie pizza night moves to Clint’s bedroom and that has a more intimate feeling to it. It’s no longer the entire team joining in but it’s the two of them. Some nights Clint welcomes him in with that sunshine grin and reveals that he’d made them a blanket and pillow fort to watch the movie in. Those are Steve’s favourite nights. Clint always gets sleepy too quickly after eating the pizza and he dozes off with his head on Steve’s shoulder. Steve leaves him secure in his blanket and pillow fort after tucking him in and making sure he’s comfortable. 

Steve never stays in Clint’s bedroom because Clint never invited him to and he wouldn’t just intrude. But those fort movie nights were happening more often and Steve had to work harder each time to not curl up next to Clint and fall asleep wrapping himself around him. 

By the third month, Steve spends more of his time with Clint than he does with Tony. He feels guilty about that because he wants to keep Tony company while he works on not only fixing Clint’s bike but also improving it ten fold. But spending time with Clint feels so right to him and he keeps being drawn back in with each of Clint’s smiles and snorting laughs, by each time his head falls onto Steve’s shoulder as he falls asleep, and by each pizza they share.

They’ve gotten closer and Steve’s learned so much about him; the kind of movies he likes and the kind he doesn’t, which video game is his favourite, the toppings he must have on his pizza. Steve’s also better at video games now and even won over Clint once. He thought that might upset him, but Clint just smiled at him. 

Clint’s walking improved tremendously and the doctor set a date for him to have the cast removed. Steve is there in the medbay with him when it happens, helps him stand up from the bed after and take his first few steps on his newly healed ankle. Clint’s triumphant smile when he crosses the medbay back and forth on his own makes Steve imagine a child on Christmas morning. That’s how ecstatic Clint is. Steve only hoped his surprise for him would make him just as happy.

He leads Clint to Tony’s workshop despite his utter confusion. FRIDAY lets them in on Tony’s wish. Tony is sitting with his back to them in front of an object covered in a large purple canvas. Clint stares confused and Steve is glad that the canvas is large enough that Clint can’t make out the shape of what’s under it.

“Since when is purple your colour Stark?” Clint asks, rightfully defending his suit colour.

“Hmm..?” Tony lazily turns around on his stool. 

“The purple? Aren’t you all ostentatious red and gold?” Clint motions with his hands. 

Tony stands up in front of the workshop bench with the purple canvas. “Oh this thing. That’s not for me.”

Clint is further confused as he looks from Tony to the canvas to Steve and back. “Who’s it for?”

Tony licks his lower lip on a smirk as his eyes meet Steve’s. Steve tries not to smile. 

Clint is now glancing back and forth between them. “What’s going on between you two? Tell me there isn’t something weird under there.” 

Shaking his head, Tony steps away from the workbench and allows Steve to take his place. “Absolutely nothing weird. Just the best thing you’re ever going to own.” 

His eyebrows furrow briefly until Steve is pulling the purple canvas off the object and revealing it to be Clint’s old, rebuilt, improved bike. His jaw drops and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise and delight. He steps closer.

“Oh my lord.” He reaches out to touch the body of the bike and stops short. “Is that.. Is it really mine?” 

Steve nods as Tony interjects. “Sure is Hawkbird. Newly assembled engine, sleeker new wind resisting body, complete with a dark purple motif to match your bird suit.” 

A flash of annoyance brushes over Clint’s features at Tony’s repetitive use of the word bird but it’s soon gone and Clint does reach out to touch the body of the bike this time. He looks up at Steve. “You did this? For me?”

“Pfft. Yeah right. He did nothing. That’s my work. All my handy work. Three months of it by the way.” Tony rightfully gloats. 

Clint turns cold eyes on Tony. “Would you shut up Stark?” 

Normally, under other circumstances, Tony wouldn’t. In fact he’d double his efforts to be extra annoying to the Hawkbird. But he glances at Steve who looks like the literal personification of heart eyes as he looks at Clint and he concedes. “Fine.” He says as he turns his attention to another project in the workshop, but not before he throws a wink in his direction.

Ignoring Tony, “Yes.” Steve mouths. “It is.”

“Why?”

Steve shrugs and it’s quite possibly the cutest thing he’s seen Steve do. “I wouldn’t want to part with my old bike and I had a feeling you wouldn’t want to either.”

Clint grins and before Steve realizes what’s happening, Clint’s chest is colliding with his as Clint throws his arms around him, wrapping him in a hug. Steve smiles and relaxes, his limbs going mellow as he lifts his arms to wrap around Clint, tucks his face against his shoulder. 

“Thank you.” Clint whispers. 

Steve holds him tighter.

Tony only glances but quickly looks away. This isn’t his moment to intrude on. 

After a moment, Clint lowers his feet back on the floor and pulls back from Steve’s embrace. “When can I try it?” 

Steve lets his hands on Clint’s back go loose, allowing Clint the freedom of stepping out of his arms if he wants to, but he doesn’t completely let go. “Whenever you want. I did have an idea though.”

Clint appears intrigued. “Yeah? What’s that?”

“I was thinking that I can bring my bike and we can ride together. If you’d like that.”

Clint nods then smiles. “I would like that. Where can we do that though?”

Steve raises his eyebrows. “I did think about that too.”

Clint doesn’t say anything and Steve continues. “That same road, with the deer.”

Clint blinks slowly and remains quiet. Steve thinks that he hates the idea and is trying to think of a gentle way to let him down. Then Clint furrows his brow. “Only if that deer is not there.”

Steve laughs. “I’ll make sure it’s not.”

They get Clint’s and Steve’s bikes on the jet. Steve inputs the coordinates into the navigation system and both he and Clint are in the pilot and co-pilot seat with their seatbelts on and about to take off when the jet’s main system announces a system override and the door of the jet opens. 

Tony climbs on board and takes a seat behind them. 

“What are you doing?” Clint asks a hint too loud for the small confinement, obviously annoyed. 

“I’m coming with.” Tony answers nonchalantly. 

Clint’s frustration shows on his face. “Why?”

Tony takes his glasses off in that easy practiced manner of his. “That’s my baby you’re about to test drive. I’m going to be there.”

Clint throws his head back and groans. He really can’t argue that. Tony smirks.

Steve and Clint attempt takeoff again and succeed this time. The rather long flight seems exceptionally long for Clint whose exasperation with Tony knows no bounds. Especially when it seemed that he was doing his best to annoy Clint.

Steve remains silent for the majority of the flight. He does smile and chuckle every now and again as Clint and Tony bicker. He’s content that his two close friends are amiably arguing about everything. Perhaps that’s how they know how to show each other that they care.

After three hours, they land the jet on the same stretch of road. It looks different to how Clint remembers it. There were no leaves blowing in the wind, no breeze even. The weeds on the shoulders of the road yellower and drier. The sun is not setting like it had been that day; Clint can’t even see the sun through the thick cloud cover. And there’s a dusting of snow covering most of the road. It appears more peaceful than last time. 

Steve and Clint lower the bikes from the jet without Tony’s help because that’s not his job. They don’t ask because they know that’s what he’ll say. 

Steve walks his bike to the shoulder of the road and parks it there. Clint walks his bike to the center of the road and revs the engine. He feels the vibrations of it in his chest. Tony throws his arms up in the air and shouts happily making Steve laugh and Clint smirk. He can be such a proud kid sometimes. 

“Well go on! We didn’t come here just so you can idle the beautiful thing. Give it a go!” Tony encourages.

Clint looks to Steve standing beside him. Steve nods and Clint secures his helmet onto his head, climbs onto the bike and wills it forward. He drives a small distance, not pushing the bike’s engine to its limit, but just getting a feel for it. He turns the bike around, careful of any weeds and brakes beside Steve. He lifts the visor of the helmet and he’s grinning. 

“So?” Steve prompts. 

Next to him, Tony’s arms are crossed over his chest. “That was dismal. You didn’t even give it anything.” 

Clint rolls his eyes at him. “It’s perfect. Why don’t you ride with me?” He asks Steve.

“Yeah.” Steve gets on his bike, without a helmet as is in Steve fashion, and drives it out next to Clint’s. “Just down the road?”

Clint nods and drops the visor over his face. They both rev their engines and take off down the long stretch of road, blowing snow and dust behind them at Tony. He coughs and waves his hand in front of his face. 

They don’t intend for it to happen but when it starts happening, neither of them want to put a stop to it. They’re riding at an easy pace side by side when Clint decides to take Tony’s advice and test out the limits of the bike. In a second, Steve’s matching his speed, a devilishly handsome grin on his face that spurs Clint on.

Clint revs the new engine of his bike and speeds forward past Steve who’s now trying to catch up. He hears Steve melodious laugh despite the wind whooshing past his helmet. And like that, they’re racing down the snow covered road. 

They illegally round past a fork in the road and head back in the direction they came with Clint in the lead. When they near Tony, he looks out at them and cheers for Steve. Steve! Even though he built Clint’s bike and should be cheering for him. But no, because that’s what his relationship with Stark is like.

The jet is arbitrarily the end line and Clint wins the race as he drives past it first. He eases the drive of the bike and brakes a short distance away followed by Steve. He slides off his bike and removes his helmet, looking back at Steve. He’s still on his bike, hair wind blown and he’s grinning at Clint despite having lost their race. 

Clint walks over to him just as Steve climbs off his bike. He notices Tony walk in the opposite direction out of the corner of his eye. They make eye contact and smile at each other. Steve pats Clint on his shoulder, a silent congratulations for winning the race. So very in contrast to the emotions bubbling up in his chest.

Steve feels his heart swell with it. So similar to what he’s been feeling these past three months and yet so different. Similar in how light Clint’s smile makes his chest feel and different in how much it makes him want to always be the reason behind it. 

It dawns on him then that the time he shared with Clint wasn’t about them becoming closer as friends. It was about much more than that. 

It dawns on him not in the rush of the way that the harsh light breaks over the horizon and blinds the eyes. It dawns on him slowly, rolling in in small waves the way the first light laps at the edge of the water, teasing it, warming it unhurriedly. 

It dawns on him unlike a monsoon of rain but similar to fragile snowflakes catching on a light breeze and getting carried away.

It dawns on him unlike a wave crashing against the shore but like a gentle rain splashing tree leaves and giving them life. 

It dawns on him that he wasn’t befriending Clint, but was so delicately being carried on a gentle breeze in love with him. He wasn’t falling, he was drifting right into Clint’s heart where he wants to burrow and curl up and stay. 

He steps closer to Clint, allows his hand where it rests on Clint’s shoulder to travel up higher to his neck, lets his fingers curl so lightly around the back of it. His touch is timid, tender but on point to how he feels. 

Clint blinks, not sure what’s happening. “Cap?” He asks, the word a whisper on his lips.

His voice rings in Steve’s ears despite being so quiet. Steve is so attuned to him now, he can count his heart beats if he wished to. He doesn’t move his hand. “Is this okay?”

Clint is not sure. Not about Steve’s hand on his neck, but about what Steve is asking. He unhelpfully shrugs.

Unperturbed, Steve brushes the tips of his fingers against Clint’s neck where his hair rests against it, his touch feather light and Clint shivers. Steve feels it with his whole body as if it travelled through Clint and into his fingers, up his arm and down to his heart. He’s going to commit the feeling to memory. 

With his other hand, he reaches for Clint’s. He loosely joins their hands together and Clint tears his eyes from Steve’s to look down at the artwork Steve creates from their hands before meeting his eyes once again.

A moment passes between them during which Steve does count Clint’s heart beats. He knows he has to say something to explain his sudden behaviour but he’s not sure what. Honesty always works for him. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” He admits.

Clint smiles a small soft smile. “Me too.”

Steve’s heart manages to swell bigger. “Clint..” He starts, but he’s not too sure he can do this right; say the correct words. 

“Yeah Steve?” 

If Steve’s heart swelled before, now it took a tumble and a spin before it righted itself. Clint’s never called him by his name before. He’s always used Cap. He never wants him to call him that again. 

Steve begins again, keeps his voice a low rumble in his chest, his eyes locked onto Clint’s. “I feel that we’ve gotten so much closer in the last three months. I feel that I’ve gotten to know you better.”

Clint nods. When he speaks, his voice is a low whisper as well. “We have.”

“Uh.. I’m not very good at this.” He lets a small chuckle escape his lips. 

Clint’s hand that’s not in Steve’s comes up and rests against his cheek. “You’re doing wonderful.”

A small smile makes its way onto Steve’s lips while a blush simultaneously creeps up to his cheeks. “I feel so strongly about you.” 

Clint remains silent, his thumb stroking Steve’s cheek bone. Steve presses on. “I think you do too.” 

Clint’s hand stills on Steve’s cheek. His eyes dart between where he’s holding his cheek and his blue eyes. He takes a deep breath. “I do.”

Steve releases his breath on a sigh. His smile widens. “Does that mean you’ll give me a chance to get to know you more?”

A mischievous grins paints Clint’s lips. “Are you asking me to be your boyfriend, Steve?”

Steve doesn’t know what does it, Clint using the word ‘boyfriend’ or saying his name again, but his blush is at least ten shades darker.

Clint’s grin softens into a sweet smile as he threads their loose fingers together, effectively drawing Steve’s attention to their hands. “Because if you are asking, how can I say no?”

Steve’s eyes snap up to Clint’s. He’s surprised and happy and grinning like a happy puppy. “Really?” He asks but his heart already tells him the answer. 

Clint’s thumb finds its way to the corner of Steve’s mouth and traces a fraction of his lower lip, making Steve part his lips. “Yes.” He swipes his thumb along Steve’s bottom lip again, covering the entire length of it. “Really.”

Steve uses his hand on Clint’s neck to guide him closer until their foreheads touch. Clint having to tilt his head up and Steve tilting his down. Clint then does something unexpected and rubs their noses together and Steve practically giggles. 

Clint does it again to hear that warm sound. Then he’s biting his lip, uncertainty flashing briefly across his features. “You can kiss me.” He whispers, voice more than an octave lower than the last time he spoke. “If you want.”

Steve’s heart plummets this time because that thing before wasn’t unexpected. _This_ is unexpected. He leans his head back and looks into Clint’s eyes. “I’d like that.” He breathes the words out so quietly, he’s not sure Clint heard them. But he responds, “Go ahead.”

Time stands still as Steve so slowly bows his head to get to Clint’s height and licks his lips before he touches them so feather light against Clint’s. Clint’s eyes immediately flutter shut and he responds to Steve’s touch so beautifully, pressing his lips back against Steve’s, his head tilting up to match his height. 

The kiss is nothing more than an innocent brush of their lips together but Steve wants it to last forever. The betrayal of his lungs needing air wills him to reluctantly pull his lips apart from Clint’s who immediately bites the corner of his bottom lip into his mouth and smiles devilishly handsome. His smile goes straight to Steve’s own lips and creates one of its own.

Clint speaks first after a moment passes when they're silently breathing together, Steve's hand still rests on Clint's neck and his other is held in Clint's. Clint's other hand leaves his cheek to rest at Steve's waist, right on his belt. His breath tickles Steve’s lips when he speaks. “This is so much better than rebuilding the bike.”

Steve laughs, all rumbly thunder and genuine joy in his chest and Clint seizes the opportunity and presses his lips against Steve's, both arms coming up to wrap around his neck, practically flinging himself at Steve who rocks on his feet for a second before adjusting to the welcome weight of Clint's body and reciprocates the kiss with all of the emotion he has.

“Well I'll be damned.” Tony's voice broke into their cloud and Steve could very clearly imagine what he was seeing; Clint wrapping himself around Steve's larger frame as Steve's hands come up to circle around his upper body, holding him close to his chest. 

This wasn’t an image meant for him. But they forgot he was here.

Tony’s voice sounds around them again. “Captain sneaky used my handy work to woo the Hawkbird.” 

Steve abruptly pulls away from Clint but doesn't let go of him, turning bright red. He doesn’t look at Tony who nods approvingly and yells out to them. “Nice work Cap!”

Clint does look at Tony and very much the adult, sticks his tongue out at him. 

As he’s about to retort, a creature passes by Tony who quickly realizes it’s a deer. Clint in horror, watches as the same deer who caused his accident saunters past them and crosses the road. 


End file.
